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15 books that are being made into TV shows in 2021

We've got your reading recommendations sorted! 

shows to books
Emmy Griffiths
TV & Film Editor
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Do you always fall in love with a TV show with no clue that they were once a bestselling novel? Same here!

MORE: 26 best new books released in 2021: Which one will you add to your nightstand?

Fortunately, we have gotten ahead of the game and put together some much-anticipated shows of 2021 that have been adapted from bestselling novels. So if you need some reading recommendations, look no further... 

Everything I Know About Love - BBC

Everything I Know About Love was the book everyone was talking about back in 2018, and now the Dolly Alderton book is finally being turned into a TV show thanks to the BBC. 

dolly alderton book

The seven-part series will be helmed by Harlots director China Moo-Young, and is set to star The Witcher's Emma Appleton as Maggie and The Morning Show star Bel Powley as Birdy. They will also be joined by Alex Rider star Marli Siu as Nell, Gangs of London actor Jordan Peters as Neil, and newcomers Aliyah Odoffin and Connor Finch as Amara and Street, respectively. 

Holding - BBC

This upcoming four-part series, based on the novel Holding by chat show host Graham Norton, follows a local police officer, Sergeant PJ Collins, a "gentle mountain of a man" who hides from people and fills his days with comfort food and half-hearted police work. He is one of life's outsiders, lovable but lonely and a bit rubbish at his job. 

holding

The show will be filmed on location in Cork, Ireland and star Game of Thrones actor Conleth Hilland Derry Girls actress Siobhán McSweeney. 

Daisy Jones and the Six - Amazon Prime

We can't wait to see this brought to life on screen! Taylor Jenkins Reid's New York Times bestseller Daisy Jones and the Six recounts the story of the rise and fall of a fictional '70s band.

daisy jones and siz z

The casting for the rock 'n' roll drama couldn't be more perfect, as Riley Keough, who will take on the lead role, is actually the granddaughter of Elvis Presley. Joining her in the cast are Sam Claflin and Suki Waterhouse, among others.

Queenie - Channel 4

Fans of the 2019 hit Millenial novel Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams will be thrilled to hear that the bestseller is being made into a TV series for Channel 4. 

queenie

The Channel 4 synopsis reads: 'Queenie is about heartbreak and bad dates and worse sex. It's about south London and the gentrification that's chipping away at it and what it represents. It's about race, identity, culture and the politics that shape you. It's about the love of friends, the chaos of family and community and all the other varying relationships in-between, but especially the one with yourself."

There's no news on casting yet, but fans will be pleased to hear that author Candice is heading up the script of the show.

Nine Perfect Strangers - Hulu 

Starring Nicole Kidman, the story follows nine people who go into a luxury wellness retreat hoping to be changed, each struggling with their own demons. However, none of them would have ever expected what the wellness retreat really is. Intrigued? Read the book first! 

WATCH: Nine Perfect Strangers trailer starring Nicole Kidman

The Holiday - Channel 5 

Jill Halfpenny is set to star in the drama based on the bestselling novel of the same name by TM Logan. The novel's synopsis reads: "It was supposed to be the perfect holiday, dreamed up by Kate as the ideal way to turn 40: four best friends and their husbands and children in a luxurious villa under the blazing sunshine of Provence.

the holiday

"But there is trouble in paradise. Kate suspects that her husband is having an affair, and that the other woman is one of her best friends. One of these women is willing to sacrifice years of friendship and destroy her family. But which one? As Kate closes in on the truth in the stifling Mediterranean heat, she realises too late that the stakes are far higher than she ever imagined."

The Girl Before - BBC

Starring Loki's Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Jane and based on the novel by JP Delaney, the story follows Jane, a woman who moves into the dream rental situation, but must abide by the landlord's specific rules.

girl before

The synopsis reads: "Jane starts to feel the house changing her in unexpected ways, but when she makes the shocking discovery that her predecessor Emma died in the house, she’s forced to confront unnerving similarities.'As the two women’s timelines interweave, Jane begins to question if her fate will be the same as the girl before." 

MORE: A Little Life author Hanya Yanagihara announces new novel and it sounds heartbreaking

Anatomy of a Scandal - Netflix 

Netflix's new series is all about sexual consent and privilege, and is based on the bestseller novel of the same name by Sarah Vaughan. The series is set to star Sienna Miller, Michelle Dockery, and Rupert Friend, and is currently filming. Needless to say, we can't wait to see the final result! 

anatomy scandal

Magpie Murders - Britbox 

Anthony Horowitz's bestselling murder mystery novel Magpie Murders is set to be a new TV series exclusively for Britbox, with Timothy Spall starring as Atticus Pünd. The series follows Susan Ryeland - who will be played by Leslie Manville - as an editor who investigates the murder of one of her author clients, Alan Conway, finding clues in one of the manuscripts of his famous Atticus Pünd detective novels.

magpie murders

The Sandman - Netflix 

Based on the bestselling graphic novel by Neil Gaiman, The Sandman is a blend of myth and fantasy that follows people affected by the Dream King Morphus as he mends the mistakes he's made during his long, long existence. 

MORE: Best-selling books to transform your life in 2021: From Adele's life-changing read to Mrs Hinch's list book

the sandman

Panic - Amazon Prime Video 

The bestselling YA novel follows a teenage girl who decides to enter a deadly dangerous competition in the hopes of winning the $50,000 jackpot prize. She just has to stay alive for long enough to claim the cash. 

panic 1

Conversations with Friends - BBC 

Loved Normal People? This is definitely one for you! The official synopsis for the hit show, based on the bestselling novel by Sally Rooney, reads: "Conversations with Friends follows Frances, a 21-year-old college student, as she navigates a series of relationships that force her to confront her own vulnerabilities for the first time." Keep an eye out for The Favourite star Joe Alwyn, who is set to play Nick. 

convo friends

Where The Crawdads Sing

Speaking of Normal People, Daisy Edgar-Jones is set to star in the TV adaptation of Where the Crawdads Sing as the 'Marsh Girl' Kya who wants a peaceful life alone with the nature of her home, when she becomes swept up in a murder investigation. We're cheating a little bit here, as this one looks to be released in 2022. We can't wait! 

daisy jones

Posting about the end of filming on Instagram, Daisy wrote: "Where the crawdudes be diddle daddling. I can’t wait for you to see Kya’s marsh in all its glory and thank you to the Crawdads team for working so hard to bring this beautiful story to life. That’s a wrap. See you way out yonder." 

This is Going to Hurt - BBC Two

Love medical horror stories? This one will most certainly grab your attention! Based on the bestselling novel by Adam Kay, the series will look at the gruesome, chaotic and darkly funny world of working as a junior doctor in the NHS. 

going to hurt

The Viscount Who Loved Me - Netflix

You guessed it, it's round two of Bridgerton which will be based on the second novel in Julia Quinn's series, The Viscount Who Loved Me. With the Duke and Duchess of Hastings happily married, the story now focuses on Anthony, Daphne's older brother who is determined not to marriage for love, because 'reasons'. 

viscount lovd me

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